Method and apparatus for progres-sively quenching plates



R. P. HAAK March 21, 19 67 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROGRESSIVELY QUENCHING PLATES Filed April 21, 1964 //Vl E/VTOR RICHARD P. HAAK M Afforney United States Patent 3,310,295 METHOD AND APPARATUS FOR PROGRES- SIVELY QUENCHING PLATES Richard P. Haak, McKeesport, Pa., assignor to United States Steel Corporation, a corporation of Delaware Filed Apr. 21, 1964, Ser. No. 361,381 4 Claims. (Cl. 266-6) This invention relates to a method and apparatus for quenching metal plates quickly and continuously. More particularly, the invention relates to a pair of quenching drums disposed parallel and substantially tangent to each other, having their peripheries divided into cells and fitted with cooling-jet nozzles.

It is desirable, for certain applications, to quench steel plate from elevated temperature. It has heretofore been the practice, for this purpose, to clamp the plates to rigid flat platens, while heated to temperature, and spray them with quenching liquid. This procedure is slow and costly, particularly in the manual-labor requirement, and the quenching is not uniform throughout the plate area. Accordingly, it is the object of my invention to provide means whereby plates may be quenched continuously, uniformly and thoroughly, in a fraction of the time formerly required.

In a preferred embodiment, I provide a pair of drums mounted like horizontal-mill rolls, for the passage therebetween of the plates to be quenched. The drums are journaled for rotation on fixed shafts. The peripheries of the drums have cells distributed uniformly thereover and a radial nozzle or passage through the drum terminates in each cell. The shafts are tubular and circumferential slots subtending a limited angle are formed therein in alinement with the nozzles. Quenching liquid is supplied to the interior of the shafts from one end thereof and is discharged through the nozzles traversing the angle subtended by the slots. Thus quenching liquid is applied to the plates only through a limited portion of the circumference of the drums.

A complete understanding of the invention may be obtained from the following detailed description and explanation which refer to the accompanying drawings illustrating the present preferred embodiment. In the drawings:

FIGURE 1 is a diagrammatic perspective view of the apparatus of my invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged perspective view of one of the drums with parts broken out; and

FIGURE 3 is a vertical section through the drums and plate as shown in FIGURE 1.

Referring now in detail to the drawings, my improved plate-quenching apparatus comprises a pair of parallel drums 10 and 11 disposed substantially tangent to each other. Each drum is rotatable on a fixed shaft 12 journaled in chocks 13, for example, which may be adjustably confined in the windows of a suitable housing, to engage the work in the manner of a pair of pinch rolls. Shafts 12 are tubular and have bearings 14 spaced therealong on which are carried the drums 1t) and 11.

Each drum is made up of a sleeve 15 fitting closely on shaft 12, and a cage 16 surrounding it. The cages 16 comprise spaced circumferential rings 17 fitting tightly on the sleeves 15 and partition plates 18 extending longitudinally of the sleeves in radial planes spaced circumferentially thereof. As shown, the rings and plates inter- 3,310,295 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 "ice sect to form a plurality of cells 19 distributed uniformly over the surfaces of the drums.

Radial passages 20 extend through the sleeves 15 and form nozzles terminating one in each of the cells 19. The nozzles for the cells in each circumferential group thereof lie in a common plane. Circumferential slots 21 in sleeves 15, in alinement with the nozzles of the several groups, respectively, subtend limited angles, say 60 of the drums circumferences. water, supplied to the stationary shafts 12 from any convenient source flows through slots and the nozzles alined therewith, in the angle subtended by the slots. Thus, quenching liquid is discharged from only a limited 'angle of the circumference of the drums.

As shown, the shafts are positioned so that the arcs subtended by slots 21 start at the line of substantial tangency between drums 10 and 11 and extend in the direction of discharge of a plate 22 passing t'herebetween as shown in FIGURE 1. Thus the quenching liquid strikes the plate initially when it is tightly gripped between the drums and continues to impinge thereon only for a limited area beyond the line of the pinch of the drums. The plate is thus prevented from Warping or distorting on initial quenching and during the immediately succeeding fraction of a second. Thereafter cooling of the plate proceeds by reason of the Water remaining thereon as well as contact with the atmosphere.

While the preferred form of the invention involves a pair of drums, special situations may arise in which quenching from one side only may be desired. Therefore the invention contemplates the use of 'a single quenching drum paired with a plain cylindrical drum or' roll.

It will be apparent that a uniform quenching effect results because the cells 20 are the same in area and are spaced equally, both longitudinally and circumferentially of the drums 10 and 11. The quenching operation is speeded up, furthermore, because no manual clamping of the plate is required. A single passage of a plate between the drums effects not only a quick but a thorough quenching.

The drums have been shown as idlers and therefore are rotated by frictional engagement with the advancing plate driven by any suitable means. The drums themselves may be driven, however, and the necessary modification thereof may readily be made.

It will further be evident that my invention, in addition to the speedy and uniform quenching obtainable therewith, involves only a simple, inexpensive apparatus and wholly obviates manual labor.

Although I have disclosed herein the preferred embodiment of my invention, I intended to cover as well any change or modification therein which may be made without departing from the spirit and scope of the invention.

I claim:

1. Apparatus for quenching metal plate progressively comprising an elongate cylindrical drum, a fixed tubular shaft extending through said drum, spaced bearings on said shaft on which said drum is rotatably mounted for tangential contact with a moving plate, passages extending through the wall of said drum arranged in axially spaced circumferential groups and circumferential slots in said shaft alined with the passages of said groups, respectively.

2. Apparatus as defined in claim 1, characterized by Quenching liquid, such as J said slots being alined axially of said shaft and subtending an angle of less than 90.

3. Apparatus 'as defined in claim 1, characterized by said drum having individual cells distributed uniformly over its surface, one of said passages terminating in each cell.

4. Apparatus as defined in claim 3, characterized by circumferential rings spaced axially along the drum and partition plates extending longitudinally of the drum and spaced circumferentially thereof, said rings and plates intersecting to form said cells.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS Norquist 22835 Secor 148-152 X Scott 134-122 X Schultz 134-122 X Peretick 148143 X JOHN F. CAMPBELL, Primary Examiner.

R. F. DROPKIN, Assistant Examiner. 

1. APPARATUS FOR QUENCHING METAL PLATE PROGRESSIVELY COMPRISING AN ELONGATE CYLINDRICAL DRUM, A FIXED TUBULAR SHAFT EXTENDING THROUGH SAID DRUM, SPACED BEARINGS ON SAID SHAFT ON WHICH SAID DRUM IS ROTATABLY MOUNTED FOR TANGENTIAL CONTACT WITH A MOVING PLATE, PASSAGES EXTENDINGING THROUGH THE WALL OF SAID DRUM ARRANGED IN AXIALLY SPACED CIRCUMFERENTIAL GROUPS AND CIRCUMFERENTIAL SLOTS IN SAID SHAFT ALINED WITH THE PASSAGES OF SAID GROUPS, RESPECTIVELY. 